2021 Policies of the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation Adopted by Delegates of the 99th Annual Arizona Farm Bureau Convention Arizona Farm Bureau 2021 Board of Directors Stefanie Smallhouse, Redington President John Boelts, Yuma First Vice President Richie Kennedy, Casa Grande Second Vice President Benny Aja, Williams Ty Kelly, Alpine Art Allen, Yuma Sarah King, Tucson Hayley Andrus, Concho Stephen Klump, Willcox Paul Brierley, Yuma Catherine Mann, Mammoth Rick Evans, Gilbert Sharla Mortimer, Dewey Bob Flake, Snowflake Kristen Nelson, Parker Mark Freeman, Mesa Angie Newbold, Globe Sonia Gasho, Pearce Mike Norris, Casa Grande Jim Goldman, Coolidge Clayton Overson, Valentine Matthew Herrington, Safford Vickie Parks, Flagstaff Ashley Jeffers-Sample, Duncan Tim Petersen, Camp Verde DeWayne Justice, Waddell Ex Officio Dr. Shane Burgess, University of Arizona Sherry Saylor, Buckeye Table of Contents Purpose of Farm Bureau ................................................................................................................. 2 Farm Bureau Beliefs ....................................................................................................................... 2 Land Use/Planning and Zoning ...................................................................................................... 3 Public and Federal Land Natural Resources ................................................................................... 9 State Land Natural Resources ....................................................................................................... 17 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Water ............................................................................................................................................. 26 Active Management and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas ........................................................... 30 Water Supply ................................................................................................................................ 31 Water Conservation ...................................................................................................................... 35 Drought ......................................................................................................................................... 38 Water Quality ................................................................................................................................ 39 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................... 41 Energy ........................................................................................................................................... 42 Environmental Quality .................................................................................................................. 45 Agriculture Chemical Use ............................................................................................................ 46 Food Safety ................................................................................................................................... 51 Weed, Insect, and Disease Control ............................................................................................... 53 Livestock and Animal Care .......................................................................................................... 57 Commodities ................................................................................................................................. 66 Taxes and Spending ...................................................................................................................... 70 Regulatory ..................................................................................................................................... 74 Law and Order .............................................................................................................................. 82 Elective Office and Referendums ................................................................................................. 84 Labor ............................................................................................................................................. 85 Trade ............................................................................................................................................. 89 Transportation ............................................................................................................................... 89 Department of Motor Vehicles ..................................................................................................... 92 Health, Education and Welfare ..................................................................................................... 93 Insurance ....................................................................................................................................... 96 Public Relations ............................................................................................................................ 96 0 Within Farm Bureau ..................................................................................................................... 97 Administration and Policy Development ...................................................................................... 99 Index ........................................................................................................................................... 101 1 PURPOSE OF FARM BUREAU Farm Bureau is an independent, non-governmental, voluntary organization of farm and ranch families united for the purpose of identifying issues and formulating action to achieve educational improvement, economic opportunity, and social advancement and thereby to promote the well-being of agriculture and the nation. Farm Bureau is the voice of agricultural producers at all levels; local, county, state, national; and international in its scope and influence. Farm Bureau is non-partisan, non-sectarian and non- secret in character. Farm Bureau, as a matter of principal and policy, will diligently work uniting divergent commodity interests. (Amended 2021) FARM BUREAU BELIEFS America’s unparalleled progress is based on freedom and dignity of the individual, sustained by our founding principles rooted in Judeo/Christian values, commandments, and the sanctity of life. Economic progress, cultural advancement, ethical and religious principles flourish best where people are free, responsible individuals. Individual freedom and opportunity must not be sacrificed in a quest for guaranteed “security.” We believe in government by legislative and constitutional law, impartially administered, without special privilege. We believe in the representative form of government, a republic as provided in our Constitution, in limitations on government power, in maintenance of equal opportunity, in the right of each individual to freedom of worship and in freedom of speech, press and peaceful assembly. We believe the family is the basic building block of our society. We affirm and uphold marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Individuals have a moral responsibility to help preserve freedom for future generations by participating in public affairs and by helping to elect candidates who share their fundamental beliefs and principles. People have the right and the responsibility to speak for themselves individually or through organizations of their choice without coercion or government intervention. Property rights are among the human rights essential to the preservation of individual freedom. We believe in the right of every person to choose an occupation; to be rewarded according to his/her contribution to society; to save, invest or spend; and to convey his/her property to heirs. Each person has the responsibility to meet financial obligations incurred. We believe that legislation and regulation favorable to all sectors of agriculture should be aggressively developed in cooperation with allied groups possessing common goals. 2 We support the right of private organizations to require membership as a prerequisite for member services. (2016) Arizona’s Rights: We ask that our governor and state legislators along with the support of our congressional delegation reclaim Arizona’s state rights and our rights as citizens. We call upon our elected leaders to respect the constitution and the balance it created. Powers not delegated to the federal government by the constitution are reserved to the various states. This should be an immutable criterion for judging new federal actions, and our elected officials need to begin rolling back federal authority where it has usurped the letter and intent of the constitution with respect to state rights. (Amended 2019) State Sovereignty Over Public Lands: We believe the federal government should acknowledge that Arizona has had ownership of all non-private lands within the state’s boundaries since statehood. Therefore, we support efforts to establish state sovereignty over public domain land currently managed by Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service subject to preexisting rights. (Amended 2021) LAND USE/PLANNING AND ZONING Property Rights: We affirm in the strongest language possible our belief in the constitutional right to private property ownership and to protect